Metallic roof construction



-Sept'. 22, 1936. J. H; G'OODWIN METALLIC ROOF CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Se t. 22, 1936. J GQODWIN I 2,055,127

METALLIC ROOF CONS TRUCT ION Filed Feb. @1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 7;;VENTOR I l Patented Sept. 2 2 1936 7 METALLIC ROOF CONSTRUCTION John H. Goodwin, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to Overly Manufacturing Company, Greensburg Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 3, 1933, Serial No. 655,049

g 1 Claim.

This invention relates to roof structures, and more particularly to an improved roof of that class in which metal sheets are secured to the V roof structure through the use of spaced battens.

Metal roofs are commonly employed in which wooden battens arranged parallel to one another are placed on the roof structure to be covered, these battens running down the roof from the ridge to the gutter. The metal roofing sheets are laid between these battens and a seam is formed between the edges of the sheets. Roofs so constructed require that the metalsheets be bent when they are being applied to the roof. The bending and hammering. operation leave marks in the metal which cannot be subsequently ironed out. 'If the roof is an expensive roof formed of sheet aluminum, these marks are detrimental to the appearance of the job. Moreover, galvanized steel sheets cannot be used in such roofs because the denting of the'metal necessary in working it, or the hammering which is necessary in bending it to shape, breaks the surface finish which affords the protection tothe sheets.

A further diificulty with roofs of this nature is that no adequate provision can be made for relative expansion and contraction between the metal sheets themselves, or between the sheets and the roof which supports the sheets, with the result that the sheet frequently buckle and wrin- 30. kle to a very undesirable extent.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a roof construction'which permits of all of the bending operations on the sheets to be formed in the factory'or shop where the roofing is being made up, or in a sheet metal bending plant, so that all of the sheets are uniformly bent,

and bent under conditions and by mechanism which does not produce dents or cracks or otherwise mar the appearance ofthe roofing sheets.

40. Further than this, the invention provides a structure which is more permanent, more satisfactory and more easily installed than the present type of metal roofing, and one which takes care of expansion and contraction in the roofing sheets 45; or=between the roofing sheets and the other parts of the roof structure was to eliminate buckling or wrinkling of the strips. p

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which 50.. illustrate certain preferred embodimentsof my invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-section through a roof structure showing the joint embodying the present invention in elevation;

65, -Figure 2is a transverse section in the plane of line II-- II- of Fig. 1;" r r I "Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a slightly modified construction;

' Figure 4 i'sa view also similar toFig. 2 show- 601inga further modified arrangement;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the joint structure shown in Fig. 4; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating still a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in 5 Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, A designates the roof structure of a building. B designates generally the joint structure between adjacent roofing sheets forming the covering for the roof. This joint structure, as illustrated in Fig. 1, i510 formed lengthwise of the slope of the roof.

The jointB comprisesa batten to which the opposite edges of adjacent sheets are secured. These battens are placed at regularly spaced intervals along the roof, depending upon thewidth 15 of the roofing sheets which form the roof. In Fig. l the batten, designated 2, is shown as comprising a metal channel having side Walls 3 and d and a bottom web 5, this bottom web preferably having an inwardly bent corrugation 6 providing a longitudinally extending groove on the outside of the bottom'of the batten and providing an upwardly projecting rib on the inside of the batten.

This form of bottom has a double purpose. First, it serves to provide a two-point contact with the roof which will adjust itself more readily to irregularities in the roof than would a continuous fiat channel. Secondly, it provides an arrangement whereby the bolts 1 through which 30 the battens are secured to the roof structure can pass through holes spaced above the plane of the bottom of the channel. The rib, in other words, provides-parallel grooves or gutters 8 and 8' at each side thereof through which any water or condensate collecting or getting into the batten can flow while the bolts by means of which the batten is secured to the roof'pass through holes which are so located that this water can not get throughthe holes and the heads of the screws are ina plane above these channels.

The sidewalls 3 and. 4 preferably diverge upwardly from the bottom of the channel so that the channel is slightly wider at the top than at the bottom. The upper edges of these side por tions 3 and 4 are bent inwardly to provide overhanging flanges 9. Spaced downwardly from the flanges 9, the side walls are provided with inwardly projecting longitudinally extendingribs H).- Between the ribs I 0 and the overhanging flanges 9 longitudinally extending grooves or channels I I are formed.

In laying the roofing, the battens are secured to the roof at the proper intervals, the present drawings showing but a single batten. The roof-. ing sheets, designated I 2, are formed to shape in the plant in which the roofing is manufactured, the edges of the sheets being bent upwardly to form vertical flanges I3, the extreme edge portions-being bent inwardly anddoubled over to After the sheets are in place, as shown in Fig. 23-- a plurality of separate cross strips l5 are slipped into the grooves H and distributed along the length of the batten at regular intervals. A cap strip I6 is then applied to thetop' of the batten:

This cap strip has a central rib portion H shoulder portions l8, and. depending; side flanges ing, in the; rib ll. The bolts 20 engage the threaded openings in the cross pieces; or nuts [5, an-ut l5 being provided "for each bolt 20. As the b'oltsiflare screwed down, the cap strip is forced down;into engagement with the doubled-over portions l4 o fthe roofing sheets, forminga tight seal between the fiatportions it of the cap strip an c l the doubled-over portions of roofing sheet. At thasarne time the flanges [9 project down oven the yertically extending portions M of the roofing", sheets so as to hold these sheets against isp aeeine t. In c s uc n th -fi e. the worlgrnan takesup on the bolts 20 until he feels, fr qm the manner in which the bolts are turning, .9; that he isijustbeginning to compress the doubleoyer portions 14 of the strips, and then he stops.

Thecap strips are preferably not. screwed down so tightl y as to actually clamp the horizontal portions i 4.,of thesheet, but only far enough to make a tight fit. The reason for this is that the sheets may have a longitudinalcoeflicient of expansior greaterthan that of the cap strips or of the; ba tens.

Even though the coefficients of expansion may;

2192M: nd, the cap strip serves to further exclude ntQisture If; desirable, caulking may also be used,

de esib t un over the turned-over edge of thesheets it tends to fall down, into the channel,

co l lect in the bottont grooves orgutters Band 81,; and flowdownthe insideof the batten where it i el dischar e r m thee n en f the batten. I It -will be further observed that the portions 5b [tare turhed up atsubstantially right angles to the roofingsheets, whilethe side walls 3 and 4 offthebatten flare outwardly. As a result of this,v

the, sheetsLmakea very close, contact with the top of the battem but at the bottom there is a :5 cbnsiderable spaqez .marked 2l,; beween the sheets ahd the batten. This space is sufficient to take care o f the'transverse expansion and contraction of the sheets relatively to the batten. 7

Sihce'the, cross pieces or nuts it: are slidably &5. received inthe channels H-fformed in; the side flanges, the c ap' strip may expand and contract relatively to: the batten and relatively to the.

rgb'i-liig sheetsfwith freedom. 7 7

A ejbatt'e'n, which may be formed byextrusion 7% 19 .3 an; eiljer Iii-ge se. a d. c mayb made 's pi dinarily not necessary, If any water.

of metal or of a suitable weather resistant material, is more durable than the wooden battens heretofore provided. The channel form of the batten provides'a trough which carries away moisture which leaks into the" batten or which condenses therein. The batten, along with the cap strip, provides a means for effectively holdingthe sheets in place on the roof, forms a water tight seam between adjacent sheets, and at the same time permits of relative expansion and contraction between the various parts. The battens themselves can be made relatively cheaply and V have relatively littleweight per unit of length. 19. The strip is perforated at regular intervals to receive screws or bolts 29, the perforations-be-'- The roof can be more cheaply installed than can-present sheet metal roofs for the reason that all bending of the metal can be done in the shop,

and it is unnecessary for the workman todo; any bending on thev roof. Moreover, he does not.

have to puncture the metal with nails The completed roof has a better appearance because of the fact that the metal is not dentedor marred or irregular, as is the case where the sheets have to be bent on the job, and the entire job will look neater and be more effective and durable than roof structures of this nature as heretofore constructed.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is substan-'- tially the same as thatpreviously described, the

channel shaped batten being designated 25, the flanges of the roof strip being designated 26, and the cap strip being designated 27. Instead of using cross pieces or nuts I5 for the bolts;20-, asdescribed in connectionwith Figs. 1 and 2, the

bolts are formed substantially in the shape of inverted Ts. In Fig. 3 the bolt, designated 28',

has a cross head portion 29- the ends of which; are receivedin the opposite channels 30 inthe; side walls of the batten. I The threaded stem of.

the bolt passes through a hole in the cap strip, and the cap strip ishelddown by acap nut 3| on each bolt.

: In both of the constructions just described, thev arrangement is such asto permit of relative Iongitudinal movement between the cap strip; and the batten. This is not, however, necessary in all cases, and where it is-desirable to use a smaller batten, arrangementssuch as shown in Figs. 4'

and 6 may be used.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the roof structure is designated,-

A, while the joint structure as awhole is designated 13'. The batten, 35, is essentially of the: same shape as that previously described in that it has anupper portion of channel shaped crosssection with an internal ribin-j the bottom ofthe channel and with a longitudinally extending.

recess on the undersideof the batten so as; to

provide a two-point contact withthe root. In:

this arrangement the batten is, substantiallyinthe shape of the letter [-I in cross section-.. It has side flanges 3 6 and. connected by across web The side flanges 36 and, 31; preferably, diverge from the bottom toward the top so that;

the battenis wider at its top than at its bottom.

On the top ofthe cross. web 38 there: is an internal rib; 39 and at each; side ofthisrib thereii's. a channel or gutter 40 through which moisture;

and condensate may be d rained out of the batten.

The cross web hasa series-of holes 4-l extend ing through the rib, these holes-being. internally,

up ends Q g ll b.01 5- eeen t i ides ez;

nated 45, is held in place by bolts 46 projecting therethrough and having their lower ends screwed into the holes 4|.

In this figure, the roofing sheets 41 have vertically turned edge flanges 48, the uppermost portions of which are turned downwardly as indicated at 49 to hook over the uppermost edges of the batten, as shown in Fig. 4. The cap strip 45 is screwed down sufiiciently tight to make an efiective weatherproof joint and to hold the roofing sheets in place, but is preferably left loose enough so that the strips are free to expand and contract longitudinally. l

Figure 6 illustrates still a further modification in which the batten, designated generally as 50, has a single bottom flange 5|, a vertical web portion 52, and a channel-shaped upper portion 53. Bolts 54 passing through holes in the base flange 5| serve to secure the batten to the roofing.

It will be observed that the holes in the base flange for the bolts 54 are oversized to provide clearance for thermal expansion and contraction. This oversized hole may be safely employed in this form of batten, because the channel portion above the base flange prevents any water from getting onto the base flange, whereas in the other forms of battens herein described there is some likelihood of the water getting in around the bolt, particularly if the central ridge were not provided inside the channel. It will be seen that in the other forms if the hole were made larger than the bolt, there would be greater likelihood of leakage. With the form shown in Figure 6, however, water flows along the base of the batten, and the channel above the base prevents any water from getting onto the base. The roofing sheets 55 have vertical flanges 56, the upper edges of which are folded down as indicated at 51 to hook over the upper edges of the channelshaped portion of the batten. The cap strip 58 is held in place by bolts 59, these bolts being screwed into holes extending through the rib on the bottom of the channel portion 53. Here again the bottom of the channel portion has the middle higher than the outer edge portions so as to take care of moisture which collects inside of the channel.

The cap strip 58 is preferably held down tight enough to keep the roofing sheets in place, while it is loose enough to permit of relative movement effected by expansion and contraction. With the form of batten shown in Fig. 6 there is nothing at one edge of the strip to limit the transverse expansion and contraction and therefore it is unnecessary to provide at the left-hand side of the joint, as viewed in Fig. 6, any space corresponding to the space 2| referred to in connection with Fig. 2.

In the various forms of the invention as herein specifically described, the batten has a channel portion over which the edges of the roofing sheets are engaged, the roofing sheets, however, not extending to the middle of this channel portion. Each construction provides for the use of a cap strip of inverted channel shape straddling the batten and secured to the batten without passing through the roofing sheets, the seam structure being so arranged as to permit of relative expansion and contraction longitudinally and transversely.

As the wall thickness of the various members of the several battens as well as the cap strips are the same thickness the battens and caps will expand and contract as a unit.

While I have described specifically several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in these specific constructions within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A sheet metal covering for a roof, comprising abatten having an upwardly opening channel, a central rib on the bottom wall of the channel forming gutters between the side walls of the channel and the rib, the side walls and bottom wall of the channel being substantially the same thickness, means free of the gutters for securing the batten to the roof, metal roof covering sheets substantially thinner than the thickness of the batten elements having the longitudinal openings in the cap and threaded in the openings in the rib for drawing the cap into a position to hold the covering sheets in place but free enough to permit longitudinal movement of the sheets relative to the batten and cap efiected by expansion and contraction.

JOHN H. GOODWIN. 

